Night Falls Gently
by Shade Sorcerer
Summary: The Hakurei Maiden is dying. These are her last few moments. Inspired by the song of the same name. One-shot.


This story is based on RD-Sounds' song of the same name. This rewrite was uploaded December 31, 2015.

* * *

Marisa is quietly working when there comes a gentle knock on her door. She looks up from her book and says "Hold on, Alice, I'll be right there."  
"It's Yukari, Marisa," the youkai on the other side of the door says. Her voice lacks its usual playful, lightly sarcastic tone. It is slow, somber, even. Marisa simply sits for a bit, unable to think about what may have happened to cause this.  
After a time, the witch shuffles over to the door. "Y-yeah, what is it?" she asks, door half-open.  
Yukari takes a deep breath, then lets out a sigh. "It's Reimu, Marisa. She's dying."

Marisa stands there for a time, saying nothing, just staring blankly past the youkai.

"You… would like to see her, correct?" Yukari says.  
"R-Reimu's what? Y-you gotta do something! We gotta do something! Bring her to Eirin! Wait, no, you can manipulate the boundary of life and death, can't you? Stop it! Save her!" Marisa screams.  
"There's nothing that can be done. Normal humans aren't meant to house the power of the gods. There hasn't been a Hakurei Maiden that's made it past thirty. Many… don't even make it there." Yukari sighs again.  
"Wh-what about the Hourai Elixir? That works on everything, doesn't it? Can't you-" Yukari slaps the witch.  
"Suggest something like that again and I'll-" the youkai says, eyes hard. A third sigh, and her expression softens. "Marisa, don't you think, if there was some way I could save her, I would have done it already? I don't want to see her die any more than you do."

"She's… really dying? This isn't some twisted joke of yours?" Marisa says.  
"There are some lines even I wouldn't cross, Marisa."  
"I…" Marisa gulps. "Can I see her?"  
Yukari nods. "Of course."

"Th-this is it? This is everyone who cares enough to come see her when she's dying?" Marisa cries, her voice a hoarse mix of sadness and anger. The only person in the room other than Reimu, Yukari, and herself is Aya.  
"Sh-She didn't want a lot of people here. We're the only three that know. You're the only one she invited personally," Aya says.  
"You know I never really liked people, Marisa," Reimu's voice comes weakly from the futon upon which she lays. Marisa rushes to her friend's side.

"Reimu, I… I…" Marisa isn't even sure what she wants to say, let alone how she can say it. What seems like a million different emotions, tearing the young witch's brain apart. She can hardly think.  
"It's okay, Marisa… I knew this was going to happen, from the moment I agreed to be the Hakurei Maiden." A ghost of a smile makes its way onto the shrine maiden's face.  
"I-if you knew, then… Why?" Why did her friend do this? Marisa doesn't, didn't ever need her to have any special powers. "I would have been your friend, even if you were just some normal girl from the village," Marisa chokes out.  
"Because, we wouldn't have met, remember? If I was just an orphan from the village. And not just you… Everyone. If it wasn't for Yukari… I was lonely, but being the Hakurei Maiden, I could meet… all kinds of people." Reimu coughs. The effort of talking must be hurting her, but Marisa isn't going to tell her to stop. Not like Reimu would be stupid enough to listen to her even if she did. "Even… Even Aya over there, with her annoying paper… It was worth it. I got… such a wonderful life. I wouldn't trade… not even a second of it, for years of living alone." Reimu coughs again, then manages a grin. "And you, Marisa… You were the best friend… I could have never even hoped to have, back in the village. You're strong… A lot stronger than I am… Making your own place in life like that… I could never do that. I had to have help. Thank you… For putting up with this lazy weakling… until the end." Reimu lifts her hand up towards Marisa's face. The witch holds it in both hands. The shrine maiden is cold. She isn't going to be around much longer. Marisa wants to say something. Everything, actually. But she can't. The tears are getting in her way.

Reimu turns her head to Yukari. "Yukari, have you…"  
"Yes. There's a little girl, in the village, about the same age you were. She reminds me so much of you when you were that age… She's so…" Yukari's voice hitches, and she doesn't try to continue the sentence. It is the only time Marisa has ever heard the youkai sage at a loss for words.  
"She's got a lot to learn… then… Marisa? Can I ask you… this one last favor?" Reimu turns her head back to the witch. "Will you… will you look after her? Make sure she doesn't end up... as lazy as I was?" Marisa nods. She still can't get any words around the lumps in her throat. Reimu smiles at her, and reaches her other hand toward Marisa's face, resting it on Marisa's own hands. "Thanks. I knew… I knew I could… trust you. You really are… Gensokyo's best… aren't you?" The last words of Reimu Hakurei, as her hands slide from Marisa's grasp.

There is a short silence, as the three people in the room register the death. They knew it was coming. Heck, Aya and Yukari have probably lived through it before. None of that makes it any easier to see Reimu's body go limp. None of that makes it any easier when the shrine maiden doesn't respond to Marisa calling out her name. None of that makes it any easier to feel how cold she is when Marisa wails, hugging her corpse. Aya tosses her notebook away and races to the shrine maiden's bedside. Yukari simply turns away, crying silently. Marisa, now beyond crying, simply rests her head against Reimu's chest, hoping for some sign of life. It never comes.


End file.
